In 2025, Redfern Jarjum College welcomed an additional student into our school community, growing our enrolment to 26 Aboriginal children from across inner Sydney. Each student at Jarjum receives individualised, wraparound care, including daily transport, meals, uniforms, academic and cultural support, and access to allied health services at a cost of approximately $20,000 per year. ...
Redfern Jarjum College
Back to School, Strong in Culture: Supporting One More Jarjum
GOAL
$20,000
Australia > NSW > Metro
Field of Interest
- Education/training and employment
- First Nations communities
Target Population
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Young people (6-25)
Redfern Jarjum College
Redfern Jarjum College exists to nurture and empower Aboriginal children living in Redfern and surrounding areas, recognising their strength, creativity, and potential. We are a Jesuit primary school providing a free, culturally safe and inclusive education for children from Kindergarten to Year 6.
At Jarjum, we celebrate each child as an individual with unique talents, stories, and ways of learning. Many of our students join us after facing barriers in mainstream education — we meet them with high expectations, deep respect, and belief in their ability to succeed.
Our approach is holistic and grounded in relationship. With a maximum of 10 students per class and a dedicated team of teachers, mentors, support workers and allied health staff, we provide intensive wraparound care that meets the full needs of each child — socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically and academically. Each day begins with a bus ride to school and ends with a shared meal, creating a stable and caring environment where students feel safe, connected and ready to learn.
We work in close partnership with families and community to walk alongside our students as they grow strong in culture, confident in themselves, and equipped with the foundations to pursue further education and thrive in life.
Jarjum is more than a school, it’s a place of belonging, healing, and opportunity. Our mission is to walk beside the next generation of leaders, helping them discover their voice, their purpose, and their power.
Project Summary
In 2025, Redfern Jarjum College welcomed an additional student into our school community, growing our enrolment to 26 Aboriginal children from across inner Sydney. Each student at Jarjum receives individualised, wraparound care, including daily transport, meals, uniforms, academic and cultural support, and access to allied health services at a cost of approximately $20,000 per year.
This project will fully fund one additional place at Jarjum for the 2025 school year. It builds on our NAIDOC Week campaign, “Back to School, Strong in Culture,” which highlighted the strength and promise of our newest student and the need to ensure every Jarjum has what they need to thrive.
Our school provides a culturally safe, trauma-informed, and strengths-based learning environment for Aboriginal children who have not been supported to succeed in mainstream education. With small class sizes and deep community engagement, Jarjum creates a foundation for belonging, learning, and long-term success.
Project Outcomes
This project will deliver a fully funded, culturally safe, and supportive school place for one Aboriginal student at Redfern Jarjum College for the full 2025 academic year. Our goal is to ensure she has the tools, relationships and confidence to thrive at school and beyond.
Success will be measured through her consistent school attendance, participation in learning and cultural activities, growth in self-confidence and literacy/numeracy skills, and readiness to transition into high school or continue learning at Jarjum with a strong foundation.
More broadly, this project supports our goal of increasing educational access and opportunity for Aboriginal children who are not thriving in mainstream schools. It affirms their right to a high-quality, culturally attuned education grounded in relationships, identity, and care.
By funding this single school place, donors directly enable long-term educational outcomes for a child who might otherwise fall through the cracks — and help us demonstrate the impact of personalised, community-embedded schooling models.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $20,000
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Staffing (teacher, support worker, allied health contribution) | $11,000 |
| Meals and transport | $4,000 |
| Uniforms, resources, and excursions | $3,000 |
| School materials and tech | $2,000 |
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